Archaeology Department

The Archaeology Department is engaged in collecting, recording, protecting and professional treatment of museum materials and museum objects that preserve evidence regarding a long period of time – from prehistory to the Middle Ages. It also organizes permanent and temporary thematic exhibitions and presents the accomplishments in professional publications. The interest for the archaeological cultural heritage on this soil began in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, with reconnaissance of the land and the first archaeological excavations. In addition, about a hundred archaeological sites have been recorded, among which the most important ones are the pile-dwellings Usta na Drim and Vrbnik in the Lake Ohrid, Crkveni Livadi in v. Vranishta, the sites of Sveti Ilija in v. Delogozhda, Plachikrusha in v. Dobovjani, Grobishta in v. Koroshishta, and the three Early Christian basilicas in the countryside of Radolishta, Oktisi and Tashmarunishta. These basilicas have unique floor mosaics from the period of the 5th – 6th centuries AD. A part of the mosaic of the basilica in the village of Oktisi has been exposed in the House of the Miladinov Brothers within the permanent display. The Archaeological collection of the museum is rich and diverse, including bone objects (harpoons, chisels), stone objects (axes), ceramics objects (kantharoi, plates, pans, hydria), metal tools and weapons, jewellery and glass.